Bag filling mechanism



Aug. 11, 1959 A. w. MERRELL 2,898,721 BAG FILLIQNG MECHANISM Filed Nov.23, 1955 FIG.4

INVENTOR ALLEN WMERRELL, 2412 25 United States Patent() 2,898,721 BAGFILLING MECHANISM Allen W. Merrell, Detroit, Mich., assignor to SattleyCompany, Detroit, Mich, a'corporation of Michigan Application November23, 19'55,-Serial No. 548,718

This invention relates to mechanism for filling bags and while notlimited to the bagging of any particular material or articles, it hasbeen developed more particularly for the bagging of cylindrical objects,and particularly to those of considerable weight for size, such aswrapped stacks of coins. For this purpose it is necessary to hold themouth of the bag open or distended so as to permit ready loading of thearticles. As shown this may be accomplished by the use of an open endedchute which may extend well into the bag and through which the articlesor material may be fed thereinto. It may also be desired to fill the bagwhile the bag is supported on its side on a platform so that the Weightof the bag and contents may be carried thereby and avoid any excessivepressure of the articles or objects on the botom of the bag which mightresult with the bag in a more vertical position and the articles orobjects on the bottom of the bag which It is also desirable to supportthe bottom of the bag independently of the support for the chute so asto maintain the bag in position on the support against any pressureexerted thereon by the articles or objects fed thereinto while the bagis being filled.

Means also may be provided to obstruct reverse flow of the articles orobjects outwardly from the bag, and this may be constructed and arrangedto position the articles in a predetermined manner.

In order to facilitate removal of the chute from a filled bag, thesupport for the bottom of the bag may be so mounted as to be movable outof contact therewith, whereby the open end of the bag and the chute maybe tipped up and the chute removed from the bag and the bag mouth closedwhile the bag and its contents remain supported. When this has beenaccomplished the filled and closed bag may be removed from the supportand replaced by an empty bag with the chute extending into it inposition for the empty bag to be filled.

For a complete understanding of this invention, reference may be had tothe accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view showing an emptybag with a chute extending thereinto supported on its side and with thesupport for the bottom of the bag in position, the parts being arrangedin filling relation to a device for feeding wrapped coins into the outerend of the chute.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same showing the chuteand bag with one layer of wrapped coins therein.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing a portion of asecond layer of wrapped coins in position within the bag.

Figure 4 is a front elevation showing the bag and chute upwardly tilted.

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the chute and the bag invertical position.

Figure 6 is a view drawn to a larger scale of a latch mechanism forholding the bag bottom abutment in either of two positions.

on its side. An abutment 3 is carried by the support 1' and isshown ashinged for motion between a position shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3 whereit engages the bottom 4 of the bag and holds the bag againstmotionexerted fromthe pressure of articles being fed thereinto, and aninoperative position showninFigure 4 as will later appear. In orderthat'the bag may be filled, its open end should-beheld distended and forthis purpose there is illustrated an open ended chute 5, which may beinserted therein. Where wrapped coins are beingemployed, this chute "5may besubstantially rectangular in cross section and with'an internalwidth slightly greater than the length "of thepa'ckage or 'roll of coinsto befed thereinto. 'It will be recognized that these rolls vary inlength, depending upon the denomination of the coins enclosed and thenumber of coins in each, and it is preferable to employ a series ofchutes, one of which has a width suitable for receiving freely a roll ofcoins of the chosen denomination arranged transverse thereto.

The wrapped or rolled coins may be fed into position in front of theopen end of the bag and the corresponding end of the chute by anysuitable means such as a slideway 6 which delivers the wrapped rolls ofcoins from a suit-- able packaging machine, a portion of which is shownat 7. The particular type of wrapping machine is no part of the presentinvention and hence will not be further described, it being sufiicientto state that it includes a rotary disk 8 to one end of which ispivotally mounted a lever 9. This lever 9 is fulcrumed at 10 and itsopposite end is pivoted at '11 to a plunger 12 which engages back ofeach wrapped roll of coins as it is delivered from the slide 6 and ismoved axially to feed wrapped coins into the adjacent end of the chute5.

A stop member 15 may be positioned to receive the rolls of coins as theydrop from the end of the slide 6 and position them in proper relation tothe open outer end of the chute 5. As shown best in Figures 1, 2, and 3,the forward end of this chute may be partially closed off by a wallmember .16 in which may be mounted means such as a latch member 17having a beveled end .18 positioned to be engaged by the rolls of coinsand to be retracted against the pressure of a spring 19 to permit therolls of coins to pass by and into the outer end of the chute 5.Cooperating with this latch 18 is a rise 20 in the form of a bevelledlug in the bottom of the chute, these two parts obstructing returnmotion of the articles from within the chute against the direction offeed of the articles into the chute. The member 20 also presents alaterally straight upwardly inclined front face which tends to aline therolls in parallel relation and to guide those more recently enteringinto the chute end upwardly and over preceding layers of the rolledcoins as illustrated in Figure 3.

T he bag being positioned on the chute in the position shown in Figures1, 2 and 3, the desired number of rolls of coins are fed thereinto pastthe obstructing means 19 and 20. The abutment 3 may thereafter be turnedout of position to engage the bottom of the bag, permitting the bag andthe chute to be tilted upwardly as shown in Figure 4. To facilitate thisaction, the abutment 3 is hinged to the support 1 and the hingeconnection includes a disk member 21 carried by one of these parts and aspring latch 22 carried by the other, engageable selectively in eitherof a pair of angularly spaced notches 23 in the disk 21 so that theabutment may be latched in either the bag-engaging position shown inFigures 1 to 3 or may be turned downwardly in substantial alinement withthe upper face of the support 1 as shown in Figure 4 and in full linesin Figure 6.

When the abutment is moved into this lowered position,

3 the bag and the chute may be tilted upwardly, a handle 25 attached tothe chute outwardly of the mouth of the bag being employed if desired tofacilitate this action. This permits the rolls of coins to pass downinto the bag and the chute 5 to be withdrawn therefrom so that thefilled bag may be closed and removed from the platform after which anempty bag with the chute extended there,- into may be placed in positionfor a succeeding filling operation.

From the foregoing description of an embodiment of this invention, itshould be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from its spirit orscope.

I claim:

In combination, a horizontal support on which a bag to be filled may belaid on its side, an abutment hinged to said support for engagement withthe bottom of the bag, spring latch means releasably holding saidabutment alternatively in a vertical operative position or in ahorizontal position, and an independent open-ended chute extending intothe bag to hold the bag distended, the open end of the chute within thebag pressing the bottom of the bag against said abutment, a bevelled lugmounted transversely within said chute near the other end thereof, saidlug presenting an inclined face to objects entering the chute, and meansfor pushing successive objects into said chute and toward said lug.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,416,160 Barrier May 16-, 1922 1,761,228 Peck June 3, 1930 2,106,975Francis Feb. 1, 1945 2,510,541 Beeson June 6, 1950

